Guillermo Rodriguez Joins Dancing With the Stars Season 35 as Fourth Celebrity Contestant

On June 17, 2026, Jimmy Kimmel Live! announced that Guillermo Rodriguez will compete in season 35 of the ABC/Disney+ dance competition. Rodriguez, the long‑time sidekick and former parking‑lot security guard on the late‑night show, will be the fourth celebrity cast member confirmed after Maura Higgins, Ciara Miller and Savannah Bananas player Jackson Olson.

Rodriguez, 55, has been a fixture on Jimmy Kimmel Live for 23 years, beginning as a security guard at the Hollywood Boulevard Masonic Temple studio and later becoming the show’s on‑screen sidekick. In a brief statement on the June 17 episode, he said he was “excited” and “very happy” to join the dance floor, a sentiment echoed by the host, who joked that Rodriguez would be the first parking‑security guard to compete for the Mirrorball Trophy.

The other confirmed contestants bring a mix of reality‑TV and sports backgrounds. Maura Higgins, an Irish reality‑TV personality who first gained fame as a Love Island finalist, has already expressed enthusiasm for the show. Ciara Miller, a cast member of the MTV series Summer House, described the season as “the perfect moment” and said she was “so excited to share it with all of you.” Jackson Olson, a professional baseball player for the Savannah Bananas, also joined the lineup.

Season 35 will premiere in the fall on ABC and stream simultaneously on Disney+. The series, which began on ABC in 2005, moved to Disney+ in 2022 but returned to ABC for season 32 while continuing to stream. Season 34 debuted on September 16, 2025. In addition to the celebrity cast, the show is searching for a new professional dancer for its upcoming spin‑off, “Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro.” The spin‑off will be hosted by season 34 winner Robert Irwin and judged by pro dancer Mark Ballas and ballroom legend Shirley Ballas.

Rodriguez’s addition highlights the show’s continued strategy of pairing well‑known personalities from diverse fields with professional dancers. The program’s format—ballroom and Latin routines judged by a panel and voted on by the audience—has remained consistent, while the cast selection continues to draw viewers from different fan bases. The full cast list for season 35 is scheduled to be revealed on September 2 during a Good Morning America special.

As the season approaches, viewers can expect to see Guillermo Rodriguez bring his trademark humor and energy to the ballroom, joining a cast that spans reality‑TV stardom and professional sports. The show’s producers have confirmed that the season will follow the traditional structure of weekly performances, judges’ scores, and audience voting.

The confirmed cast and upcoming premiere date set the stage for season 35, with the next steps being the full cast announcement and the start of filming in the fall. The show’s continued partnership with Disney+ and ABC ensures broad distribution for the new season.